Search - KRS-One :: Retrospective

Robert R. (flicknife) from CHICAGO, IL
Reviewed on 7/13/2010...

Good overview of this conscious rapper. It may want you to seek out more by him. Positive and uplifting; the man has a lot to say without being profane and lewd like today's upstarts.

A true legend

3rdeadly3rd | Brisbane, Queensland Australia | 06/06/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I got into KRS after being recommended his self-titled album by a friend - since then I've never looked back. This album is just as good a a greatest hits from one of the greatest solo rappers should be.Of course, it isn't just KRS's greatest hits, the album also has some of the classics from the BDP days. It's clear from listening to those cuts that, while the rap game may have changed since they were released, they are just as relevant now as they were then.One of the best tracks here is "The Bridge Is Over". This track can be credited historically with kick-starting the East Coast hardcore scene - it was a response to MC Shan's "The Bridge" - and is clearly one of the greatest rap cuts of any era. I'd tried to find a copy of BDP's album "Criminal Minded" to get it that way but couldn't (although I suspect that Amazon will prove me wrong) so this was the only way to get the track legally. A lot of people will say this it is good - and let me tell you that from a lyrical standpoint it is almost unbeatable.That is to say, unbeatable unless you happen to be KRS-ONE. He calls himself "The Teacher" and with good reason. Not only does he spit out some great rhymes, he also shows real thought about issues surrounding not just rap but the community in general. Nowhere is this more evident than in his solo cut "Sound of Da Police".KRS's trademark rap-reggae style is very evident on that track, along with one of the most memorable choruses in hip-hop history. The real standout there comes with the famous "officer/overseer" couplet in which KRS begins to demonstrate that police officers are no different to slave overseers from the plantation days. Whether you believe him or not, you have to admire a man who can throw down lines like "need a little clarity?/check the similarity" without batting an eyelid.Another great listen is "Love's Gonna Get Ya". Here we see KRS in sneak mode, rapping out a tale of gang violence over what sounds like a soft-core RnB track with femal backing singers warbling "love's gonna getcha" in the background. This track also is where Warren G got his "all I could think about was Warren" sample for his cover of "I Shot the Sherrif" - again proving KRS's relevance throughout hip-hop culture.It's rare to find a greatest hits compilation which doesn't have a few unreleased tracks on it. Whenever I listen to an unreleased track, I usually think "hmmm...there must have been a good reason why not to release it", usually there is - most of them are terrible compared to the released ones. This album is an exception to the rule. The last cut (I think it's called "Essays On BDP-ism") is apparently unreleased and doesn't at all seem out of place in this album. None of the tracks seem out of place really. In short, well worth buying. The casual listener will have their ears opened to the world of KRS, while the established fan will be able to relive the good old days."

A fitting anthology for a great MC

Nikhil Yerawadekar | Queens, NY USA | 08/25/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Actually, that should be 4 and a half stars. KRS-One (Knowledge Rules Supreme Over Nearly Everyone) was one of the first MCs to insist upon dropping knowledge into the everyday mix of battle rhyming. Hailing from the Boogie Down Bronx, Kris has vocally blasted his way to mythical status, as he is generally regarded as one of the, if not the singular greatest MC of all time and this album is an excellent introduction to his unbeleivably impressive and prolific career.It kicks off with a wealth of material from his days in Boogie Down Productions, such as the quinessential diss track "The Bridge is Over" and the ode to his fallen partner Scott LaRock "My Philosophy". These tracks, while clearly old-school, are absolutely timeless. The beats are straight-up East Coast hardcore and the rhymes are just plain classic.The second half of the album contains KRS's solo material such as the classics "Step Into A World (Rapture's Delight)" which features Kris at his battling best ("I'm not saying I'm number one, uh sorry I lied/I'm numbers one, two, three, four AND five!"), "Stop The Violence" which is self-explanatory, and "Sound Of Da Police" which perfectly expresses every hangup anyone ever had about the boys in blue.My only complaint is the succinctness of the album - I would have loved to see less monumental (but still dope) songs like "Rappaz R N Dainja" and "A Friend". A double-album would have been great too, because you really can't go wrong with KRS.In summary, this album is a must-buy for any hip-hop head. It's a great starter for anyone unfamiliar with the legend and is just plain great for anyone who is."